Danny
by nsane1
Summary: Dylan tells Beka a story about a little girl...


Danny  
  
PG  
  
Summary-Dylan tells Beka a story  
  
Author's note-parts of the story take place about 303 years before the present time, before Gaheris Rhade was Dylan's first officer, but after Dylan took command of the *Andromeda* I don't know if there ever was such a time, but for the purposes of the story, there is  
  
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"I hate children. Anyone under the age of eighteen should be locked up in a closet somewhere."  
  
Had the statement been from anyone else, in any other situation, Dylan Hunt would have suggested the person be considered for psychiological help. But as it was, he shook his head and calmly replied, "Come on, Beka, you don't really mean that."  
  
"Yes, I do. I am never ever having any kids," she proclaimed. "They're loud and annoying and small and-"  
  
"Okay, okay," Dylan held up his hands in surrender, wondering what in life he had done wrong to deserve a ride home with a furious and miserable Beka Valentine.  
  
"One hour is too long with them. Hell, one minute is bad enough, not to mention one week's worth of them! They were underfoot all the time, and I could have murdered that one who put a frog in my bed. And yelling and screaming and giving me a headache and refusing to go to bed until two in the morning, and then you actually volunteered me to babysit them! I am going to kill you for that one. And then that brat of a boy put a worm in my food. That is the last time I let you talk me into going on a 'diplomatic mission,'" and with that complaint, Beka launched into a rather accurate imitation of Dylan, "'It will be fun!' 'It'll be like a vacation!' 'How bad can it be?' 'It's only for a week!' Next time, you can take Trance. Or Tyr! He would've just killed all those annoying brats!"  
  
Throughout Beka's tirade, Dylan just listened quietly, allowing her to let off some steam. He actually thought that the children of the ambassador had been cute, and fun as well.  
  
"I think they liked you, though. How did you do it?" Beka wondered, apparently done complaining for the time being.   
  
Dylan sighed in relief, and answered, "I've had some experience."  
  
Beka got up to get some coffee. "Being a High Guard? I didn't know they allowed children."  
  
Dylan grinned. He had said almost the exact same words at one point. "It was a special case."  
  
"Want some coffee?" Beka asked.  
  
"No, thanks. Don't you think you've been having a bit too much coffee lately?" he chastened her. She had gone through about two pots a day during the negotiations.  
  
"Well, thank you for your concern, father dear, but you can never have too much coffee," Beka informed him with a touch of sarcasm. She poured herself a cup, and sat down.  
  
"Too much coffee is bad for your health," Dylan warned. "It makes you jumpy."  
  
"I'm not 'jumpy'," Beka replied. "I'm never jumpy."  
  
Dylan enjoyed the silence in the room for awhile, then snuck up quietly on Beka, who had begun to read. "Are you sure you're not jumpy?" he said loudly, tapping her on the shoulder. She jumped and shrieked, spilling her coffee on both her and Dylan.  
  
"Dammit, Dylan!" she yelled angrily. "That was...not nice!"  
  
Dylan raised his eyebrows. "'Not nice?' That's all you could think of?"  
  
Beka looked at Dylan and Dylan looked at Beka. Both were soaked with coffee and dripping on what had been a clean floor. Beka started laughing, and Dylan joined her.  
  
"No more coffee for you," Dylan said, taking the now empty cup out of her hands.  
  
"Oh my god, Dylan, you'd better clean this up," Beka told him, still laughing. "I'm going to get changed into something dry, and then you can tell me how you get children to like you as your punishment."  
  
"For doing what?" Dylan complained.  
  
"Oh, you know what, young man!" Beka teased. "Now clean."  
  
Fifteen minutes later, the two of them, their clothes, and the floor were clean and dry. Beka had on a pair of sweatpants and a tight t-shirt, since the rest of her clothes were dirty, and Dylan couln't help but look at her. She also had a coffee cup in her hand.  
  
"Um, Beka," Dylan said, stammering slightly, "I thought that we agreed you weren't going to drink any more coffee."  
  
"This isn't coffee, Dylan, it's hot chocolate." Beka informed him, thankfully unaware of his embarrassment. "D'you want some?"  
  
"Sure," Dylan agreed, accepting the cup she poured for him. "This is good."  
  
"Meet Beka Valentine, winner of the *Eureka Maru's* hot chocolate-making competition," Beka said with a flourish.  
  
"Right," Dylan replied.  
  
"We were bored and we had no heat," Beka defended herself. Wrapping herself in a blanket and curling up on a chair, she said, "Now, let's carry out your punishment."  
  
"At your command, jailmaster Valentine," Dylan answered meekly.  
  
Beka glared at him, and he started the story.  
  
*******************************************************************************************  
  
"Captain on deck!" the computer announced as Dylan walked into command.  
  
"Thank you, Andromeda," Dylan said, embarassed. "At ease."  
  
"Captain, the crew of the *Shining Victorious* is requesting permission to come aboard, sir," a junior crewman informed him.  
  
"By all means. Let's meet the other half of our crew," Dylan replied.  
  
Ten minutes later, Dylan was down in the docking bay with some of the higher members of his crew, waiting to meet the newcomers. A tall, darkhaired young man stepped out first, followed by several others.  
  
"I assume you are my new first officer?" Dylan asked the leader of the crew.  
  
"Commander Kyle Tobalt at your command, sir!" the man said, snapping a salute.  
  
"I am Captain Dylan Hunt. Welcome to the *Andromeda Ascendant*," Dylan replied. "I'm glad that the rest of my crew is here so we can finally get this mission underway." Suddenly Dylan saw a small figure creep out of the ship. Commander Tobalt followed his gaze, and immediately yelled,  
  
"Danny, I thought I told you to stay on the ship!"  
  
A small girl, who looked to be about eight years old, tried to hide behind another crewmember, but it was too late. Commander Tobalt grabbed her by the arm and brought her out where Dylan could see her. She was wearing a shirt that must have been ten sizes too big on her, and the blackest hair Dylan had ever seen surrounded a contrastingly pale and pixie-like face.  
  
Commander Tobalt continued to yell at her. "You were supposed to stay in your room. And what are you doing wearing my shirt?"  
  
The girl finally spoke. "I don't remember you telling me to stay on the ship. And I was cold!"  
  
"You have your own clothes, Danny! And I must have told you ten times to stay on the ship and out of trouble."  
  
"But Kyle-!" she whined.  
  
"No buts. You are in big trouble, young lady!"  
  
Dylan thought it wise to step in. "Care to explain, Commander Tobalt?"  
  
The man jumped, but quickly composed himself and dragged the now terrified girl in front of him. "Captain Hunt, allow me to introduce my younger sister, Danielle Tobalt."  
  
"My name isn't Danielle, it's Danny!" the girl protested, overcoming her fear for a short time. She hid behind Commander Tobalt after the outburst.  
  
"I didn't know the High Guard allowed children, Commander," Dylan said, raising an eyebrow skeptically.  
  
"This is under special circumstances. This explains everything, Captain," the Commander said, handing Dylan a flexi.  
  
"I'll look this over later. Why don't you get your crew settled, and we can get to know each other better over dinner tomorrow night. Is 20:00 hours acceptable?" Dylan suggested.  
  
"That's fine. I'll find someone to watch Danny," Commander Tobalt replied.  
  
"I don't need watching over!" Danny complained.  
  
"Be quiet, Danny! You're in enough trouble already!" and with that, everyone left to go their separate ways. 


End file.
